Pages

Follow by Email

Monday, July 29, 2013

The Difference Between The Abrahamic Covenant and The Mosaic Covenant.

The book of Exodus continues the story of the Israelites descended from Abraham. As a people they have come a long way since the Abrahamic covenant. The Covenant made between Abraham and God was fairly

simple and not very demanding compared to the Mosaic covenant that would be established later. Abraham's covenant with God consists of three. The first is the promise of land divinely chosen by God. The second is the assurance of offspring with which to establish a nation. The third is the guarantee of God's blessings and salvation for the descendents of Abraham. Abraham's side of the covenant is comprised of two parts. The the first part requires him to be Holy and obedient. The second part is the covenant of circumcision that dictates that Abraham, his descendents, and those around him must be circumcised as a covenant of the flesh. Those who refuse to be circumcised shall be cast out and removed from the covenant.

Between the time of Abraham and the Patriarchs to the the time of Moses and the Pharaoh the Israelites had become multitudinous and enslaved. Though they were slaves, they were many and strong. Their strength and numbers were the catalyst for pharaoh's condemnation of the newborn sons to the Hebrews. The fear fostered by this death sentence is what lead to Moses' being placed in a basket and eventual place at court. God had fulfilled his promise to Abraham of many descendents. Their numbers were enough to form a nation of their own. The only remaining promise required to satisfy the treaty was land. The Israelites still needed to be blessed with freedom, leadership, and deliverance to the Holy Land. Moses became instrumental in God's plan for the Israelite's pilgrimage to the Holy Land. During their time in the wilderness, en route to the Promised Land, God made another covenant with Abraham at Mount Sinai. God instructed Moses to have the Israelite's complete a series of tasks. Included in these tasks are the exact items to be sacrificed, how to present that sacrifice, the making of a tabernacle for Him to reside, the exact dimensions and furnishings of this dwelling, the designation, roles, and adornment of priests, creation of a census, the role of the Levites as caretakers of the tabernacle, the laws of Sabbath, and holiness. Among these laws is the “ten words” or “ten sayings” which have become known as the Ten Commandments. The Mosaic covenant has definite rules, regulations, stipulations, and commands. The Abrahamic covenant was more of a commitment to faith, holiness, and obedience. The covenant with Moses is essentially a verbal and written document detailing the holiness and faith that the Israelites had been expected to exhibit thus far anyway. The Most crucial and radical separation between the covenant of Abraham and the covenant of Moses is the inclusion of the word “if.”

Now therefore, if you will indeed obey my voice and keep my covenant, you shall be my treasured possession among all peoples, for all the earth is mine; and you shall be to me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation. These are the words that you shall speak to the people of Israel. (Exodus 19:5)

Gryphons in Christian Symbolism - The gryphon's dual nature led it to be associated with Jesus Christ, God and man, king of heaven and earth. The eagle half of the gryphon signified Christ's divinity and the lion half represented his humanity. During the Middle Ages, gryphons were symbols of Christ's resurrection. The strength of the lion and the wisdom of the eagle combined in the gryphon symbolized the strength and wisdom of God.